About transparency and traceability: Our members know what it is we (as a group) do, how we do it, and why. There are certain things that laws and regulations require us to do, like livestock inspections, National Organic Program verification, DNA testing for registered breeds, USDA and CDFA Inspections, Health and safety Inspections, label and claims verifications and all records for review, just to name few.

We thank all of our members who took part in all our inspections this past year!

We do not lease B.L.M. Pastures or government graze land, we only work within our own private member base for all operations! We work very closely with our family, friends & farm members.

Thank you to all our wonderful family, friends & members who made 2011 an awesome year for sustainable, organic farming.

Livestock "BRAND" inspections apply to"cattle only" in California when they are bought, sold, traded, moved to/from rotational pastures, transported to slaughter plants etc.. The livestock "Brand" Inspector inspects each head and records cattle coming/going and checks to make sure all the ownership paperwork is in order, makes certain that the cattle are not stolen etc. We must show proper records and he/she inspects the brands(if any) of the cattle.

Reputable cattle and livestock producers follow legal Federal, State and County protocols, laws and regulations.

Livestock verifications and Inspections can apply to all livestock breeding by private party and by registered associations. Livestock Inspection is not to be confused with livestock "BRAND" Inspection, which is for only cattle, in California.

Rainbow Ranch Farms provide our family, members, friends, neighbors and consumers with details of how to manage our herds and flocks, our feeds and feed sources, and our pasture/ range management techniques and protocols. This makes it easy for our volunteers, family, members and friends to help and work on R.R.F. farms and ranches, with ease.

Here at Rainbow Ranch Farms, farm members, family and friends volunteer to operate the farms and ranches, assuring that all our consumers and members work with the animals that will be feeding their precious family, and understand why we follow EXTREME,strict breeding, feeding, growing, processing, hauling and humane handling protocols "Second to none".

Thank you for being so supportive, helping wrangle, farrowing, lambing, calving, cleaning, processing, hauling, etc.. etc.. We could not do it without you!! Thank you!

Not all farmers/ranchers are the same, this is what makes the world go around. Something for everyone! We are small, family "rural" farm with limited openings for membership opportunity.

For example: We raise purebred/pedigree cattle, Irish Dexters, Lowline Angus (NOT HYBRID), Lowline Herefords and various English and French breeds and crosses. In order to market or claim that beef as what it is we have to follow strict guidelines, laws, regulations and verification protocols.

The same is true for grass fed, pastured, grazed and grass/pasture finished. There are guidelines, laws and regulations that must be followed to "legally" make these claims. Grass fed does not necessarily mean grass finished, however grass or pasture finished does mean grass fed (most of the time).

When our livestock go to market or to slaughter there are several different ways we do it. If that animal is to be custom processed for farm members, neighbors, family and freinds, the mobile butcher/processor comes to the ranch, home-farm or pasture and dresses the stock on site, or we take (haul) it to a custom processing plant, then the carcass is hauled in a refrigerated truck to the butcher of choice for cut and wrap.

If a member has requested U.S.D.A. Inspected, (required when sold to the general public) Kosher or Halal, we transport to a USDA Inspected slaughter plant, which is also humane handling and certified organic, for processing, as per our member's request.

When cattle, hogs, lambs and goats are being sold at a retail point and offered to the general public via butcher shop, market etc.. they are processed at a USDA Inspected facility(certified organic and humane handling) and transported without breaking U.S.D.A. Inspection and/or traceability protocol.

Meat intended to be sold at a retail store, farmers market, health food store, butcher shop or via-internet, to the general public, must be U.S.D.A. Inspected and Processed under U.S.D.A. Inspection and bear a Federally Inspected stamp. These facilities must be licensed and inspected by the C.D.F.A., U.S.D.A. and/or Department of Environmental Health or the product is not legal for retail or wholesale sale to the general public.

Meats that are USDA inspected and processed here in California for sale to the General Public, are available in multiple forms: whole carcass, primal cuts, unpackaged in a display case, vacuum sealed or butcher paper wrapped with a U.S.D.A. Inspected label and safe handling instructions on the shipping container or on each individual piece.

It is against the law to adulterate any meat label.

Here at Rainbow Ranch Farms we grow, raise and process heritage and rare/endangered breeds of livestock. Our farm members are directly involved in every aspect of Rainbow Ranch Farms operations and protocols. We, as a group, back up our claims with verifiable paperwork, our own eyes and inspections. Just because a turkey has Spanish Black, Bourbon Red, or Eastern Wild colors, doesn't make it a purebreed "registerable" Heritage Breed. There must be proof (sometimes D.N.A. tests too)that the turkey, hog, cattle, lamb, chicken, duck etc.. is what it is claimed it to be.

Here at Rainbow Ranch Farms we are fortunate to have developed our own "Terroir" heritage breeds also, which are now available as farm choice.

All claims must be verified by a governing agency or entity (Heritage Breeds, free range, pastured, no corn, no soy, no wheat, no G.M.O's no barley, no grains, Gluten-free, fresh, freshly frozen etc.) or they can't be marketed or claimed as such.

A LITTLE TID-BIT FACT:Some cross breeds can carry the Heritage claim. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a great source (not the only source) for learning about heritage breeds.

Thank you for getting us verified.. For Free!!Rainbow Ranch Farms is a verified source for pure meats: Heritage breeds, free range, grass fed, pastured, grazed, No corn, No soy, No wheat, No barley, No grains, No G.M.O's, humane handing, using our own Certified Organic, species specifc feeds and fodder, and Gluten-Free! no vaccines, no medications, no antibiotics, no steroids, no hormones, no pesticides, no herbicides!

Just PURE and delicious Premium, gourmet meats!!

Because of all our wonderful family, friends, members and inspectors we now have several farms where we grow our heritage livestock. Our C.S.A. continues to grow into a joint effort and we can not imagine anything better than that. We have been blessed with a wonderful group of like minded people.

Our gourmet, premium and PURE meats are available online through our various websites, participating websites, select health food stores, specialty butcher shops, various co-op's, through several catering services, direct at the home-farm (Pick-Up, and we offer shipping direct to your doorstep).

Our meats are also available in Utah, Arizona and Nevada!!

Although we work closely with the U.S.D.A.compliance Inspectors, livestock Inspectors, and the C.D.F.A. we are not U.S.D.A., C.D.F.A. inspectors or Health department workers or specialists. All above statements are from our own interpretations and understandings. Please consult with your local federal and state agency for accurate legal regulations and laws!! or visit www.usda.gov

We had a great 2011 year! and we thank all our volunteers, participants, members, family, peeps and neighbors.

We thank all our wonderful livestock inspectors, Brand inspectors, U.S.D.A. and C.D.F.A. inspectors and we look forward to yet another year of growing premium, gourmet, pure meats.

Remember, If you don't know your farmer/rancher, you are not part of a true C.S.A. program!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Jasper drops her calf at 7:20am on 11/23/2011 and it's a girl. Jasper is a pedigree, registered Dexter and calf is a white face, so cute. Here they were in the birthing chamber for the first 3 days and it was quite cold. Now they are all over the place.

Jasper is a great mother and is 12 years old.
The calf was named "Jasmine"

Jasmine, 1 minute old: born in the middle of the property, just after a cold and wet spell.

Now baby David and the Heritage, Lowline Angus calf/steers have another friend to play with.